The Rising Tide
by KKAce24
Summary: "And the company you keep, Well they plan your Crucifixion as we speak... If you can't decipher just who's on your side, You will not escape the rising of the tide." -The Killers; Part 2 of Melanie/Loki, after Whited Sepulcher
1. Prologue

**_Hey guys! I would just like to thank all of my followers, it means a lot to me, and let you guys know that I am going to stop writing The Protector for now. I feel like I can't give it it's own glory until I get this story out of my head. The Rising Tide is the next story in my small series. It takes place after The Whited Sepulcher and I hope is going to be really good! For all of the reviews I got from my last story. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I was going to respond to them but I just get caught up in so many things I forget. So questions answered, I wish I got a thousand reviews but I didn't and that's ok. Odin is a pretty unpredictable guy but I'll let you in on a little spoiler... he wouldn't be pleased if he found out Loki had a child. I'm also sorry that my story was fantastic until she got knocked up, but that's the way it is and it's crucial for this story. So enough blabbering from me. You are all here to read this story. So it's my pleasure to introduce to you... The Rising Tide. (inspired by the song The Rising Tide by The Killers.) (I highly suggest you listen to that song and the lyrics because it's awesome.)_**


	2. It Begins

A short man with a pot belly staggers out of bar into a dark alley way. He holds out his arms, searching for a wall to steady himself on. He stumbles forward, making his way down the alley, failing to notice the three dark figures that have emerged from behind him. In two swift movements the drunken man is knocked out with a choked gasp and a black bag thrown over his face. The three figures begin to drag him away, not making another sound.

When the kidnapped man awakens, he is on his knees, staring up at a person, cloaked in all black. The hooded figure stands at the edge of a canal, staring down at him, though, he cannot see it's eyes.

"Dave Hayden," a woman's serene voice states quietly.

"What do you want from me?" Dave asks.

"We've been watching you for a long time Dave. What are you doing here in Venice? You were once an american farmer. How did you get the money to come and live here?"

He grunts in pain. "Can a man not take a vacation?"

"A five year vacation? Your home was demolished almost a year after you left."

He doesn't answer as he looks up at the mysterious woman.

"Who are you?"

"Dave, do you believe in gods and mythical creatures?"

His breathes hard, his old body shaking violently. "Well there is Thor... and then the aliens that attacked New York. Are you an alien?"

She steps down from the edge so she standing right in front of him. Her hands are clasped behind her back.

"Five years ago, you gave your home to a young girl who sent you here."

"I don't know who you're talking about."

She whips out her hand and tightly grabs his face. "Where is Melanie Walker?"

He gasps for breath as sweat beads on his forehead. "I..I don't know."

She grits her teeth. "I don't like being lied to."

"I swear!" he stutters, desperately, "the last time I heard from her was when she said she was moving and going to demolish the house! She told me nothing!"

She lets go of his face and stands up straighter. "Well, will you send her a message then?"

The woman pulls back her hood to reveal her face. Her face, perfectly white and colored like porcelain, was lined with long jet black hair. Her eyes, blue, and as cold as ice were boring into his skull. She smiles, her teeth straight and white.

"Tell her she's next."

And in a single swift movement, she grabs his head and yanks, ripping it clean off his body.

* * *

Melanie awakes with a start. Her body is drenched with sweat and her heart pounds in her chest. It had been the first nightmare she had had in a while. She used to get them all the time, but now they were rare, almost to the point where she couldn't even remember what they felt like.  
The alarm next to her bed began to beep. She reaches over and turns it off before getting out of bed to put on a warm robe. The days seemed to blur together. She would go to bed and the next thing she knew, she was waking up again. It was all going to fast. She felt her many years becoming more and more of a burden everyday. She fought to keep her age at bay, but some days, her body would just ache.

She walks down the short hallway and opens the door to her son's room. He was a blessing to her. If he had not been born, she didn't know if she could have stayed sane.

"Jame, wake up buddy," she chimes softly, watching his small body sigh from under the space-designed covers.

He was a beautiful little boy, almost five years old. His hair was pitch black and curly, his eyes a deep brown, and his little face was shaped just like his fathers. This used to make her sad, staring at this child that was almost an exact replica of her former lover. But he was so precious to her, like a gift made just for her. His birth was no accident. The amount of blood loss and transfusions she had when she was attacked, should have killed the unborn child. However, he lived, and was born; prematurely though. His lungs had under developed and there were various other things that were wrong with his breathing. The doctors weren't really sure what was wrong with him, but as he got older, it got better, and now he only relies on an inhaler.

Jame climbs out of bed, his curly hair wild from sleep. He wore simple space ship pajamas -his favorite- and slipped on his tiny space ship slippers. He walks over to her and holds his arms out for her to pick him up.

"How about some breakfast?"

As she was fixing him breakfast he sat quietly at the table, playing with a puzzle. The morning news was showing on the small TV in the corner of the kitchen.

"Mommy?" he called out, putting down his puzzle piece.

"Yes sweetheart?"

"What does... 'locksdown' mean?"

Melanie looks at the words written on the TV screen.

_BREAKING NEWS: NYPD LOCKS DOWN TIMES SQUARE_

Several images of smoke and fire trucks flash across the television screen. People run away from the tall buildings and lights of downtown New York City. News of bomb threats and threats against the mayor roll across the bottom of the screen.

"Mom?"

She turns quickly to face him with a smile. "It just means the police don't want anybody to go down there so nobody gets hurt."

"Why?"

"Oh I don't know, there could be something broken that needs fixing."

She puts a bowl of cereal in front of him and hands him a spoon.

"I think Uncle Steve is going to pick you up from pre-school today, ok? Mommy has to work a late shift."

He puts a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

"Maybe you can show him the ship you made out of legos? I'm sure he would like that."

Jame nods and she softly ruffles his hair. Sighing, she walks over to the TV and turns it off. Her coffee mug sits by the sink, cold and untouched.

"Do you have your inhaler?" Melanie asks Jame as they walk hand in hand toward the small school house.

"Yes, mom."

"Good. Make sure not to play too hard, ok?"

He looks up at her, squinting. "It's ok, mom. I prefer the puzzles anyway."

She smiles, squatting so they are eye-level. "I know you do. Have fun. Love you. Remember to look for Uncle Steve."

She kisses him before letting him run into the school house. She watches after him until the door closes.

* * *

Work was long and hard. Now that she was manager of the restaurant, she had to work longer hours. She remembered when she had started working here five years ago. The people here were always very nice. They mainly got locals to come, but every so often travelers would stop by on their way to the city. This small town was only an hour or so from New York City, yet nobody ever really noticed it.

Ever since her attack, SHEILD put her into hiding. They sent her here, with a different name, a new home, a new style of clothes, and a makeover. Honestly, she didn't really think she looked any different. She had cut her hair and dyed it darker, though, she really wanted to keep her curls. A SHEILD specialist had come and tweaked some of her features, like her eyebrows and the style of makeup she wore. No longer did she look like Melanie Walker, but perhaps a close cousin or relative.

"Leah, a man at table four 'requests your immediate presence'," a young waitress says to her as she starts collecting the money from the cash register to put away.

"Watch this, will you? I don't want anybody stealing it."

Before she can walk away, the girl grabs her arm. "He's wearing a black suit. I don't know what he wants but he seems like he's from the government or something."

Melanie stares at her, hesitating. She forces a smile. "I'm sure everything's fine. Just don't let anyone come close. Whatever it is, it needs to stay private."

The girl nods and Melanie turns away.

_Who could it be?_

She rounds the corner and sees Coulson, sitting at the farthest away table, facing her and smiling. She walks calmly over to the table, noticing how they were the only ones in the room. She slides into the bench across from him.

'What are you doing here?" she whispers sharply, "I thought I wasn't supposed to be seen associating with SHEILD?"

He smiles, stirring his drink with a small spoon. "We can sneak a conversation or two every once and while."

She snorts, relaxing into the soft bench. "Well you damn near scared that waitress half to death."

"What'd she think? Mob-boss?"

"Try government agent who has come to tell me I haven't paid my taxes."

"Have you?"

"I don't think that's any of your business."

"Your life is my business."

"True."

"So how've you been?"

She sighs as she takes off her name tag. "I've been."

"And Jame?"

"Getting stronger." She spins the name tag on the table with her finger.

There's a lull in the conversation. Coulson finally speaks up.

"I want you to know that I wasn't upset when I heard the news."

When Melanie had found out she was pregnant, she knew she had to call SHEILD and let them know. Of course Fury was... furious. The idea of a trusted agent sleeping with the enemy and then having his child, wasn't taken too kindly. Natasha was also _quite _upset. She had been by Melanie's side during the whole birthing process, but after that, she left, and refused to speak with her. It didn't surprise Melanie, but she also understood her anger. She honestly had no idea what anyone else had thought about it. The only two people she had been allowed to stay in contact with were Steve and Tony, and it was only until after the baby was born was she allowed to speak with Tony. He had promised to help her figure out what was wrong with her son since the doctors couldn't. Everybody else just seemed to disappear and never be heard from again. This was what hiding was like. Constantly being alone.

"Thanks. It means a lot," she replied as she rested her head on her hand.

"This visit," he starts slowly, hesitating, "is off-book."

She frowns.

"Fury didn't want to tell you but I thought you should be aware."

She sits up. "Is it about what's happening in New York?"

"No, no," he says quickly, waving his hand. "Those are just some upset street thugs, that's all. The police can handle that one."

"Oh, the news seemed very concerned."

"When is it not?"

A smile hints on her lips then disappears. "So, what is it? What's wrong?"

"We found Dave Hayden's body on a shore near Venice the other day."

"Dave? You mean the one who we sent..." She doesn't finish her sentence.

Coulson nods, his smile fading. He clears his throat. "His body... didn't have a head."

"What?"

"We found the head a few miles South of his body, and carved into the skin on his forehead, was your name."

She doesn't answer him. Her stomach turns with worry and shock.

"Who?"

"We don't know. There was no foreign DNA left on his skin or clothes."

"Why would someone do this?"

He sighs. "I don't know, but we are doing the best to find them and keep you and your son safe."

She nods, clasping her hands tightly together.

"Natasha sends her regards."

"No she doesn't."

He stands up and buttons his jacket.

"She'll get over it."

He begins to walk away but stops and turns to her.

"Oh, and please don't forget to pay your taxes again. It's a hassle for us to deal with."

She smirks, watching him leave the restaurant.

It only takes her about ten minutes to get to her isolated farm house off a random country road. She pulls down the gravel driveway in her big truck and parks next to the small, ancient motorcycle owned by Steve. She knew what people thought, letting her young child ride on a motorcycle, but Steve was the safest person she had ever met. He would never let anything happen Jame.

She gathers herself before walking into the house. She hears the TV from the living room. As she approaches the living room she sees the two, her son and Steve, both sitting cross-legged in front of the screen, watching some kind of cartoon. Jame giggles and Steve smiles. She can't help but watch them in silence. She owed so much to Steve. He seemed to always be there when she needed him. And Jame loved him. It made Melanie almost wish Steve had been the father. Maybe one day he could be, but there was still a part of her heart that was devoted to her past lover.

Steve notices her standing there and looks over at her, smiling. It was a moment of peace for them both. Jame giggling wildly as the cartoon characters ran into things. They stare at each other for a long time before Steve leans over and whispers something into Jame's ear. He pats him on the back and then stands, walking over so he stands directly in front of Melanie.

"How was work... Leah?" he asks, pulling at her name tag.

She smiles, turning to walk him outside.

"Jame showed me his Lego spaceship. Did he have a blueprint for that? Or did he make it all by himself?"

"All by himself," she said proudly.

He puts an arm around her shoulder. "Wow."

"He's a smart kid."

"Very. He's a lot like his father, minus the overpowering urge to enslave mankind," he says lightly, opening the door so they could walk outside.

She doesn't respond. Talking about him used to cause attacks. She would get dizzy, couldn't breathe, but now there was just a minuscule pounding of the heart.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, "too soon?"

She shakes her head. "No, I was just waiting for the hollowness to come again, but it didn't."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"I'm not sure. I hope so."

"Good," he chimes, whipping himself around so he's standing in front of her, both of her hands locked in his, "because I've been wanting to ask you something."

She laughs as he swings their arms back and forth. "Yes, Captain America?"

He scoffs. "I hate that name, you know?"

"I know."

"Will you go on a date with me?"

She raises her eyebrows, a sly smile spread across her lips. "Do you know how old I am?"

He laughs, loudly. "Are you kidding me? I may look young, but I'm like... double your age. I slept for seventy years, remember?"

She giggles. "Fine, you win. What's the occasion?"

"There's this very fancy restaurant in the city. It's at the very top of this new skyscraper. It's supposed to be _very_ posh. Only the wealthiest of New York's citizens can afford to eat there."

She stares at him, raising an eyebrow. "And where in the world did you get the money to do this?"

He sighs. "Melanie, you're ruining it. I just need a yes or no answer."

"After everything that's been going on? Like Times Square? Are you sure this is the best idea?"

"They're just street thugs!"

"I talked with Coulson today. He said that exact same thing."

He freezes. "Wait, you talked to Coulson?"

"He told me about Dave."

Steve lets go of her hands. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"It's ok," she says quickly, "he told me Fury didn't want me to know."

"Only to protect you."

"Of course."

"You know we would never let anything happen to you. I wouldn't let anything happen to you, or Jame, right?" He looks pleadingly into her eyes.

"Yes, yes I know. If I didn't trust you then why would I let you take him on that piece of shit motorcycle?"

He gasps, throwing a hand across his chest. "How dare you?"

"I'm just saying, I'm not going to a fancy restaurant riding _that._ Think of my dress... or my hair for that matter."

He huffs, stumped. "Well I guess I could rent a car, but that could be too much of a hassle... then I might be able to take a car from Tony... but I doubt he would let me drive one-"

"We'll take my truck and then get a cab in the city," she interrupts him, crossing her arms across her chest.

"What a great idea!" he cries sarcastically, "I'm so glad you thought of that!"

"My pleasure," she drawls.

He bends down and places a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Thank you. I'll be here tomorrow at seven o'clock sharp, deal?"

She smiles warmly. "Deal."

He climbs onto his motorcycle and drives away with a loud rumble. Melanie watches him until she can see his tail lights no longer. As she walks inside she fails to notice a dark figure standing by the large oak.

He had been watching their whole conversation.

**_I'm so excited to be writing this! Enjoy(:_**


	3. You're Quite Famous

Melanie drove slowly down the long country road. Steve was in the passenger seat, talking nonstop about how he had discovered how his new TV worked. Tony had gotten it for him months ago, but he had never built up the courage to try and learn how to use it. Now that he had, he felt the need to tell everyone around him. He didn't like being the one who was always behind everyone else, but he had sort of gotten used to it over the years.

"You can even push a button and whatever is on TV will record and you can watch it later!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Melanie laughed. She thoroughly enjoyed his childlike behavior. It reminded her of her younger self. So excited and open to new things. Now that she was older, she didn't have the energy to really get excited. Plus, she was always worried. Worried that Jame would get really sick again, worried that bad things would happen, worried that bad people would come, worried that SHEILD would need her again. And now to add to that, a very new and very sickening threat against her. Someone was looking for her, and not just to stop by and say hello.

"Melanie."

She looked over at him, realizing she hadn't been listening.

"You haven't said a word this whole ride," Steve said, looking at her uneasily.

"I said 'hello, how are you doing, Steve?' when you got in my car," she replies lamely, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

He frowns. "Ok, besides that."

"Well you have been talking this whole time. I've been listening."

"You're worried aren't you?"

She sighs, gripping the steering wheeler tighter. "Just a little."

"Jame is going to be fine. Your friend from the restaurant is very nice and seems very responsible."

"It's not really about Jame. It's more the fact that this is first time in a long time I've been out in public...like, really busy public."

"You mean the threat?"

She pulls her mouth in a straight line.

"It's going to be ok, _Leah_, alright? You are going to be so obvious, they aren't going to see you. What's that phrase? So overt, you're covert?"

She smiles. "I suppose you're right. But what if something does happen?"

"Well, you can't stay hidden forever."

"I can try."

"Yeah, but you gotta get out sometime. Just this one time won't hurt."

"Sometimes one time is enough to do the job."

He sighs. "We can argue about this all day, but we're already driving there, so, it's been decided."

She chuckles.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, tell me."

She looks over at him. "I just think you're cute."

He straightens in his seat. "Like...handsome sort of cute? Or, 'such a grand gentlemen' sort of cute?"

"How about little kid cute?"

He scoffs. "Of course."

They drive up to the outskirts of the city and then take the subway all the way to the skyscraper, which is in the heart of downtown New York. They are greeted by a properly dressed male attendant who checks their reservation and then directs them to a nearby gold-platted elevator. Melanie hooks her arm in his, taking in the surroundings. There were other couples that elegantly walked onto the elevator with them. They would smile and give a slight head nod upon entering. It took Melanie all she had not to laugh.

When the elevator doors opened at the top there was a man who greeted them. His mustache was combed perfectly and the ends were twisted to point straight up.

"May I take you to your designated table Mr. Rogers and his lovely companion?" the man asks with a thick french accent.

"Yes, thank you."

The french man leads them through many circular tables. The decor was so beautiful and extravagant Melanie had trouble keeping her mouth from falling all the way open. She used to go to places like these. Olympic athletes got special invitations to go to fancy places all the time. It had been a very long time since she had last been to one. She had forgotten how gorgeous everything was. Of course, over the years, things had gotten even fancier.

Steve leans over so his lips are right against her ear. "Do you like it?"

She smiles. "Yes, very much so."

He leads them to a small table near the back. There's a group of people sitting a few tables behind them, but other than that, they are almost secluded.

"Thomas will be taking care of the lovely couple tonight. Enjoy your meal, _bon appetite._"

A young man with blonde hair walks over to their table, a bottle of champagne grasped firmly in his white gloves.

"Good evening, may I start you out with some champagne? It is the house special."

Melanie looks up at the man as she sits. He's a very handsome young man, and something about him makes her stare at him for a second more. His eyes flicker to hers but very quickly look away. She smiles politely.

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

He proceeds to pour the drink into both glasses, only filling them half full. He avoids eye contact with her completely. She watches him closely.

"I will come back to collect your orders in a short moment."

He turns sharply on his heel and leaves.

"So," Steve starts, taking a sip of his drink, "I'm assuming you've been to places like this before. What's what?"

"Well, fancy places like these only have a select number of dishes on their menu. You only have four main meals to chose from. You have the fish, which is the first one. Tonight it looks like a specialty catch of Salmon. Next is chicken, grilled of course, then your red meats, which tonight is beef, and last is your vegetarian, which is usually just a fancy salad."

"What are you going to get?"

"I've always enjoyed chicken, so I'll probably get that."

"Hmm, I might get the beef. I don't understand any of the details here, but I'm sure it will be delicious."

Thomas came back shortly after and took their orders. Everything seemed to make her uneasy. Steve told her that the mayor was sitting with the group of people behind them and that that's why they were secluded from everyone else. This really was a very high-class restaurant. Her dress was pretty but it was no name brand, uber-expensive one. She was sure Steve had borrowed a suit from Tony. They had become good friends now. Tony helped Steve adjust to things, maybe because he wanted to, or maybe because Pepper would constantly insist. Either way, it was kind of him, and she respected him for that.

"Melanie," Steve says as if he was calling out to her.

"Sorry," she says quickly, focusing on him again.

"You zoned out again."

"I know, I was just thinking about how under dressed I feel."

"Don't, you look absolutely beautiful tonight."

She blushes slightly. "Thank you."

"Melanie, I've actually been meaning to talk to you about something."

"Sure, what's up?"

He seems suddenly nervous. "I know, after everything that's happened, you've just kind of needed a friend, and I wanted to be there for you. I had only really heard of you in rumor and when I met you, I just, I don't know, there was something about you that I really liked. I've waited for a long time, for you to, you know, maybe move on from... him, and if you still haven't, that's ok, there's no rush, I just-"

She cuts him off with a short laugh. "Steve just get it out."

The waiter walks over to their table, beginning to take away their dishes.

"Thing is Melanie, I really like you, and I was wondering if you wanted to be-"

The waiter suddenly drops the still full glass of champagne right onto Steve's lap, causing the liquid to go everywhere and the glass to shatter into pieces on the ground. Both Steve and Thomas gasp at the same time.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Thomas exclaims, immediately falling to the floor to clean it up.

Steve looks down at his stained shirt, his hands up in the air.

"It's fine, it's fine," he says quickly, but she could tell it was forced.

Melanie puts her napkin over her mouth to hide her laughter.

"I'm so terribly sorry, sir," the waiter says again, frantically cleaning up the mess.

Steve sees Melanie's eyes crinkled with laughter and chuckles softly.

"Well, I'll see if I can get some of this off in the bathroom."

"Do you want me to help you with that?" she asks Thomas, starting to get out of her chair to help him.

"No, no, no, madam. It is no problem. You stay in your seat, I will clean it up."

The people at the other tables stare at her and the man on the floor. Some of them laugh quietly, others look displeased. She looks over at the mayor. He's staring back at her, a schmuck look spread across his face. She straightens herself and looks away.

Steve comes back, the wet spot on his shirt bigger. The waiter gets up and walks away, cursing himself.

"I planned for a lot of things, but not this," he laughs as he sits back down.

"The mayor certainly enjoyed the entertainment," she comments, putting her napkin on the table.

"Ha, well nobody really likes him anyways. He won't be reelected in the next election."

She laughs and they sit silently for a while, enjoying the peace.

"So anyways, what I was saying earlier."

He begins, but is yet again interrupted. His phone begins to ring violently from his pocket.

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry. I need to take this," he lowers his voice, "it's for emergencies only. And usually they're important."

He stands quickly. "I'm sorry, Melanie, I really am. This was unexpected."

"Unplanned. I get it. It's ok, go take it."

He nods and quickly walks away. The waiter comes back with two fresh glasses of champagne.

"Is everything alright, madam?"

She nods, taking the glass and taking a long sip. "Everything's fine."

He leaves just as fast as he comes.

Her eyes scan the room, looking at each of the couples and watching their animated faces as they spoke. She had missed this, in a way. Steve was right. She couldn't hide forever. Sooner or later she would just have to suck it up and face it. But she was terrified. She hadn't been able to find her powers since Loki had healed her all those years ago. The voice in her head was gone and she felt like her powers had completely left her. HYDRA had taken her necklace on the worst night. Something told her, however, that this power wasn't done yet.

All of the sudden Steve bursts into the room, walking quickly with a determined look on his face. He doesn't come to her table though, he goes straight to the mayor. The bodyguards stand up immediately, blocking him. Steve mutters a few quick words and they let him through. Melanie watches with intrigue. Something wasn't right.

Steve grabs the mayor's arm and begins to pull him out of his chair. The mayor looks shocked and confused but he willingly stands up and follows Steve's orders. His bodyguards surround him and they quickly exit the back of the room. Steve runs over to their table.

"What's wrong?"

"The Mayor's in danger. They're coming for him - stay hidden," he says in a rush, touching her hand before spinning on his heel and running to catch up with the mayor.

She stares after him, silent. She can feel the eyes of the other couples trained on her. She slowly grabs her napkin from her lap, wipes her face, and then places it onto the table. The people slowly go back to talking. The waiter is staring at her from across the room. She can feel his eyes searching her face. He must have heard the whole thing.

In a loud burst of noise and confusion, the elevator door dings and several men, armed with machine guns, burst into the open room. They wildly fire their guns into the ceiling. People scream and jump up out of their seats. The men scatter about the room, herding the people like sheep into the middle, shouting and screaming. A tall man, unarmed, follows them out of the elevator, a smug expression on his face as he walks into the center of the crowd.

Melanie stands at the back of the crowd, watching the men pick through the people with their guns. A waiter drops his tray, causing several to jump in fear.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the tall man starts, raising his hands in the air, "we come in peace."

Several women murmur in terror.

"There's no need to fear," he coos to a young women standing near the front, a hand placed over her mouth.

He strokes back her hair.

"I'm just looking for a friend of mine, and he doesn't seem to want to show his face," he continues, walking past her and onto the other people.

He claps another man on the shoulder. "Have you seen the Mayor? I believe he was eating here tonight, and I want to visit with him. Just a little chat. Can you tell me where to find him?"

Nobody answers. The air is stiff with fear. He reaches another young women. He grabs her by the arm and yanks her toward him. She cries out.

"I want you to tell _me_," his voice lowers into a threat.

She gasps with tears.

"That's enough," a strong voice says from the crowd.

The tall man turns to see Melanie step out from the crowd, her arms crossed over her chest. He smiles.

"He's obviously not here, so you can leave," she says, locking eyes with him to try and hide her fear.

He walks slowly towards her until he stands inches from her face. She strains her neck away from him as he leans in close to her and inhales deeply.

"Hmmm, you think you are very brave?" he asks softly, leaning back.

She doesn't answer as she stares at him.

He flashes his nasty smile. His teeth, black around the edges, like they were rotting away in his mouth.

"You know, beautiful girls like you should not put themselves in harms way," he continues, circling her as he looks her up and down.

She holds herself, turning so he never leaves her sight.

"And you are, in fact, very beautiful," he says.

He tries to take her chin in his hand but she turns her head away, fighting his grasp.

"No, no, don't fight, look at me. I want you to look at me," he says.

She doesn't stop fighting. He suddenly turns angry.

"Look at me!" he roars, grabbing her chin hard. She doesn't fight it, but her eyes fall to the floor.

He laughs. "You are a stubborn one, aren't you?"

She tries to slow her breathing.

"You wanna know a secret?" he whispers, pulling out a knife from his pocket and holding it up in the air so the lights would dance off it's shiny blade.

"Melanie Walker," he says so quietly only she can hear.

She immediately looks up at him, frozen.

He smiles darkly. "Yes, I know who you are."

Her eyes fill with fear as he lowers the knife and places it on her lips.

"You're quite famous, Melanie Walker. All of the nine realms knows your name. The mortal girl that defeated the God of Mischief. Not many people can claim that title. Do you think he still loves you? Do you think as he sits and wastes away in Asgard prison, he dreams about coming back to you?"

He moves the knife from her lips to her cheeks, stroking her face with the flat end of the knife.

"I can see why he fancied you so much. You are quite beautiful for a human. Why don't we send him a little gift? Shall we? How do you think he will feel when he sees you? When he opens his package and sees you, sliced into a _million pieces_?"

He turns the knife so it's point is pressed against her cheek. His eyes turn black and his human face begins to fade into something horrid.

"Or maybe we should take your son instead."

She suddenly jams a fist into his gut and then shoves him backwards, away from her. He grunts and holds his stomach, smiling.

"Tough girl," but the humor in his voice is almost gone, and it is now replaced with anger.

He moves forward to attack her just as someone flies towards him and tackles him to the ground. And all hell breaks loose. People scream and run. The armed men begin to shoot into the air as they get trampled to the ground. Melanie is knocked backwards onto the floor. She scrambles to get up as people pile onto the elevator and crowd the doors to the stairs.

"Melanie! Run!" a voice cries from behind her. It's not Steve's voice.

Her eyes search the crowd as she is pushed toward the exit. Thomas, their waiter, stands by the window, his emerald green eyes staring back her. The man grabs him suddenly and they begin fighting again. She's pulled back under into the crowd as they push and shove down the stairs.

Police and fireman meet them almost halfway down the sixty flights of stairs. Some stay with them, leading them to the bottom, while other keep racing their way to the top. Firetrucks, ambulances, and police cars line the streets outside the building. The people are guided out of the lobby and onto the sidewalk.

"Melanie! Melanie!" Steve's voice erupts from the crowd.

She searches for him, trying to find the source of the voice. Someone grabs her arm and she whips around, startled. It was Steve.

"Melanie, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" he asks quickly, pulling her away from the crowd and to a nearby ambulance.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she says quickly, wrapping her arms around herself to try and block the cold.

Steve sees this and quickly pulls off his suit jacket to put around her shoulders.

"I should never have left you up there. It was stupid of me, I'm sorry."

She shakes her head. "No, Steve, I told you, I'm fine. And it's ok, it all happened so fast you couldn't think rationally about anything."

"Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?" he asks, gently taking her face in his hands.

"No, everything's alright. But our waiter, Thomas, I have to find him. He saved my life, he saved all of our lives." She turns away from him searching the crowd.

"We have to go back up there and find him," she says, panic in her voice.

"Melanie, chances are he didn't make it. But I think it's best if we leave now, remember Jame is still at home."

She sighs, still looking into the crowd. "But I can't just... leave."

Steve puts an arm around her shoulder. "Come on, let's go home, drink something warm and relax."

She resists for one last minute before finally giving in and following Steve to the subway.

They leave before the body of the tall man is wheeled out and placed in an ambulance. Thomas the waiter is no where to be found.

* * *

**_I based this scene off of one of my favorite scenes in The Dark Knight, perhaps you saw the similarity... :) haha but anyways, review!_**


	4. He Will Come For You

A tall man, dressed in a sleek black suit strides gracefully down a long white hallway. The fluorescent lights shine off his slicked back hair that is black as the night sky. He has a cane that he places easily by his side every step he takes. There is a slight limp in his walk, hence the cane, but his elegance is so profound, one would hardly notice it. He wears a tight smirk on his face.

Loki Laufeyson.

Several men dressed in dark attire run towards him from the other end. Their shouts echo through the halls, but Loki does not falter.

"Stop right there!" they shout, their machine guns pointed at his chest.

He slows to a stop, still smirking. He places his cane in front of him, clasping both hands on top of it.

"If you wish to keep yourself hidden, I wouldn't make it so easy to find you," Loki says.

The two guards grip their guns tighter. "And how was it so easy?"

He snorts. "I wasn't talking to you."

Loki slowly turns around to face the tall man that had come up behind him.

"A surprise to see you here," the man says, his arms crossed behind his back.

"The infamous Red Skull. I come with glad tidings."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "Last time I saw you, Loki, you tried to kill me."

"I'm sure you understand why I had to do that."

"Why did you come here? One man against all of us? I thought you were smarter than that. Besides, you're hurt. What was so powerful that hurt the God of Mischief himself?"

Loki glares, unwavering. "To think I would be such a fool to come and destroy you. It offends me that you think so little of me, when I think so highly of you. I'm here because you need my help, and consequently, I need yours as well. I have something you want, and you have something I need."

Loki takes a step toward him, their eyes level. "What you want, has competition. After what I saw tonight, you are not the only ones that seek world control. More importantly, I know you have a debt that needs to be paid, a debt in the form of a stone and a mortal girl. I can give that to you, but only if you chose. I could just as easily do this on my own."

The Red Skull tightens his eyes. "If it is so easy, why do you come to us?"

"Let's just say," he smiles, "I have the skills and you have the resources."

There's a long hesitation before Skull speaks. He matches Loki's smile. "Then I say we have a deal. Call me Strucker."

* * *

Melanie awakes to the soft chirping of birds and the sun heating her back. She sleeps in Jame's bed, his small body wrapped in her arms. She still has her dress on from last night and she can feel it's scratchy seams rub against her skin. Jame sleeps peacefully, his curly hair stuck to his forehead. His chest moves up and down sharply from his shallow breaths. She gently places a palm on his chest, feeling his heartbeat, but also the soft rattle of his lungs.

She lightly kisses his forehead before climbing as carefully out of bed as she possibly could without making a sound. She creeps out the door and to her bedroom where she quickly changes out of her dress and climbs into the shower. The warm water feels good on her face and chest. Images of last night's terror flash through her memory. She had been so stupid for going out like that. This meant Jame wasn't safe anymore. Neither of them were. They saw her in New York. It wouldn't take long for them to find where they were hiding now.

When she gets out she heads downstairs for breakfast. She isn't surprised when she sees Steve already sitting at the table. He sits in front of a cup of coffee, watching the TV screen replay the events of last night. It takes him a moment to realize that she stands behind him, watching the screen with him.

"Turn it off," she says flatly.

He turns around sharply, staring at her pale face and short wet hair tucked behind one ear.

"I'm sorry," he says quickly, grabbing the remote and clicking a button. The TV becomes black.

"I don't want Jame to see that."

He stands and pulls out a chair for her. "Of course not. Here, sit, I'll pour you some coffee."

"Thanks," she mumbles softly as she sits.

"I didn't think those thugs had the firepower to take down a restaurant such as that. It caught me completely off guard."

"That's because they weren't street thugs," she says softly. "They weren't even human."

He hesitates. "...Yes."

"Yes of course you knew that. You knew it all along, you just decided not to tell me."

"Mel-"

She cuts him off sharply. "Don't say you're sorry because I've heard that phrase too much in the past twelve hours. In fact, I'd rather not speak on this matter at all."

He walks over to the table and sets the mug of coffee down in front of her.

"You know, after Dave's death, everything has changed. It's like, suddenly, all of the evil things in this world are beginning to migrate in your direction. It's almost like an eye has just turned and put it's spotlight on you."

"Well I'm not the ring from Lord of the Rings."

His eyebrows knit together in confusion. "I don't-"

She interrupts him again. "Why would they want me anyway? I lost my power five years ago. HYDRA already has the stone, which means they have what used to be my power. I'm useless to them."

"Listen, I wish I could explain it all to you, but I can't. I don't understand it, nobody does, but we're working on it. SHEILD is looking at every detail."

She scoffs. "I'm sure they are. I think half of them wish they would just kill me to spare the trouble."

"Don't say that."

"Oh you know it's true. I'm a traitor in their eyes, even in Fury's _one_."

Steve sits down, putting an arm on her shoulder. "It doesn't matter what they think, they are going to protect you and Jame and that's that. Nobody's perfect, they know that."

"Well not everybody sleeps with a psychopathic god who killed hundreds of innocent people in an attempt to enslave mankind."

He shakes his head. "Nope, not everyone. Just you."

She puts her face in her hands and groans.

He laughs. "Oh, don't be so hard on yourself. You may never see that man again, and I hope you don't, because it would be for the better."

She pulls her hands from her face and sighs. "You're right. My lifespan compared to his is barely a second. By the time he's my age in god years I will have long since died, and he will be dealing with my children's, children's, children's, children. And maybe another generation or two."

He takes her hand in his. "I doubt he could ever forget someone like you though."

"I'm unforgettable."

He smiles. "Unforgettable."

Their conversation is interrupted by a loud crash and then a cry from upstairs. Melanie explodes from her chair and sprints up the stairs, Steve following close behind. They burst into the room and find Jame, lying on the floor, gasping for breath.

"Jame!" Melanie exclaims, falling to the floor next to her son.

"Where's his inhaler?" Steve asks, stumbling through the room, his eyes searching.

"Bedside table, top drawer, left side," she says as she lifts Jame up so he's sitting straight.

"Breathe baby, it's ok. Deep breaths, in and out, in and out," she soothes him, rubbing his back with her hand.

Steve kneels next to them, handing Melanie the inhaler. She sticks it into James mouth and presses down. It makes a funny noise as he inhales but after a few moments his breaths are slower and softer.

"There, is that better?" she says softly, brushing back his black curls.

He nods as his breathing slows.

Steve puts his hand on her back.

"Jame, what happened buddy? Did you fall off the bed?"

Jame nods, his tears staining his cheeks. "I had a nightmare."

"Oh?" Melanie coos, wiping the tears away.

He nods again. "A man in black wanted to take you away."

Melanie's eyes flash to Steve's in concern.

"Who was the man in black?"

"I don't know," he whispers, holding his arms out for Melanie to hold him.

She takes him in her arms and hugs him close to her chest. "No one's going to take me away, honey."

They stare at each other for a long time.

* * *

Melanie swings down an axe and two pieces of wood go flying in each direction. It had been a few days since Jame's asthma attack. It made him very ill, so she had stayed close to his bed side for the rest of the weekend. Now it was a bright new day, unusually warm for the late fall season, but a good day to get work done. Jame was sitting in a small chair under the large oak tree, reading a book Steve had gotten him a few days earlier. His pale skin didn't do well in the beating down sun so he usually stuck to the shade. Melanie however, couldn't soak in enough sun. Her grey tank top was covered in sweat from all the wood splitting she had been doing, and her skin was browning every second.

She bends over and grabs another log to split. As soon as it's balanced she lifts the axe over her head and slams down onto the log. It splits, but doesn't completely break.

"Mommy?"

She's about to raise the axe, but stops.

"Yeah honey?"

"There's someone coming up our driveway."

Melanie turns to see a single black SUV driving up the gravel road. She recognizes the vehicle immediately. SHEILD. She places the blade of the axe at her feet and rests both her hands on the top of the handle. The car stops close to the house, causing white dust to gather around it. Fury steps out of the passenger side. He looks first at Jame who watches silently from his chair and then to Melanie. He walks toward her calmly.

"A good day to be out here working I see," Fury comments as he strides toward her, his hands clasped behind him.

Melanie stares back at him, head held high. She doesn't respond.

"Last time we met like this you seemed much more pleased to see me," he comments, stopping a few feet away.

"If I recall correctly, last time you came I wasn't being kept out of the loop when it came to my life," she snaps back.

"You know everything we do is all about keeping you safe."

"I don't think not telling about what's really going on in New York is keeping me safe."

Fury shifts his weight. "We are just now trying to figure out that situation. Besides, if you were truly concerned about you and your son's safety, going to the most expensive, well-known restaurant in New York, wasn't the best idea."

"While that may be true, I can't stay in the house forever, and I also can't stay hidden here forever."

Fury nods. "Which is why I'm here. We believe these attacks have all been centered around HYDRA, and someone in particular spotted working with them."

Melanie cocks her head in curiosity. "And this has to do with me?"

Fury turns and looks over at Jame. Melanie follows his gaze. She has a sickening feeling deep in her stomach. She knows who it is.

"How is Jame, by the way?" Fury asks.

She can feel her hands shaking. It takes a moment for her to collect herself. "He's okay. Not one-hundred percent, but okay."

"Does he know he has a son?"

She swallows, looking back at him. "I don't know."

Fury turns back toward her. "He will come for you, you know."

"I know."

"If you come with me, we can protect you."

She laughs, but without humor. "He wouldn't hurt us. And besides, even your best form of protection couldn't keep him away."

Fury shrugs. "Maybe he won't, but who knows what HYDRA will do."

She lowers her eyes.

"I would think about your options, _Walker,_" he says, turning and walking back to the car.

Her eyes follow him in silence.

"Oh and if you do see him," he adds, stopping and turning slightly, "I'd hope that you'd let us know. He's still an enemy that we must protect the world from."

He climbs in the car and slams the door. It spins in a circle and then zooms down the driveway as fast as it came. Melanie waits until the dust on the gravel fades. The wind whistles through the corn stalks, making them rattle softly. She looks over at Jame. He sits peacefully in his little chair, flipping the pages of his book. He looked just like Loki.

She felt her chest heave, and she stifles back a sob.

_He wouldn't hurt us, he wouldn't hurt him. He wouldn't._

She sucks in a tight breath and turns back to the wood. She raises the axe high over her head and then brings it down hard onto the piece of the wood. It shatters into a million pieces. She was not weak. Not anymore. She would not let anyone touch her child, and she would kill anyone who would ever do harm to him.

She was strong. And she feared no one.


	5. Five Years

_**Sorry this took so long. Fanfiction was not pulling up on my computer for a long time so I could not upload this next chapter. Anywho, enjoy!**_

Melanie's feet hit the ground lightly as she runs swiftly along the long country roads. She had always enjoyed running. It seemed to relieve a lot of the stress that was pressing her mind. Winter was just beginning to set in and the air was crisp and cool: perfect running weather. After she had lost her sight, she couldn't run anymore, and it was very hard for her to fight off her depression. But now, after Loki had healed her, she could return to her favorite sport. The thought of Loki would send her mind reeling. She didn't really know how to feel about his return. After all this time she had finally gotten over him, and she truly believed he would never return, and now that he had, it was like her mind was confused on being happy or upset. Honestly she felt a little of both, not to mention the fact that he was spotted working with HYDRA. As soon as she saw him she knew she wanted to hit him. She did feel anger towards him, a lot actually. But she couldn't ignore the fact that she had been dreaming about him for years now. No surprise she was still attracted to him, and the thought of seeing him made the little hormonal girl squeal inside, but her mature adult shoved that feeling down and reminded her of everything he had done.

She turns onto her gravel driveway and slows down to a light jog. There is something weird about the air around her as she jogs up to her house. It's almost like there's electricity flowing through the air around her and at any moment it could explode. She slows to a walk, breathing hard as she scans the yard around her. Silence. Eerie silence. Not a bird chirps around her.

Melanie's about to walk inside when she hears a loud crash in the barn. She freezes, straining her ears to hear more. It was a good thing Jame was at day care. Very silently she grabs the shotgun hanging right inside the door and makes her way down to the barn. She grips the metal tightly in her hands, trying to quiet her fast breaths. As she gets closer, she cocks the gun, pointing it in front of her, ready to shoot.

"Whoever is in there, come out now, or else I'll shoot," she says firmly, standing in front of the big wooden doors.

There's silence. No answer.

She sucks in a tight breath. No fear. No fear. She yanks open the barn doors and points her gun into the barn. She freezes, and then sighs, lowering the gun to her side. A raccoon, surprised by her sudden burst into the barn, jets out of the middle and disappears into the corner. Rakes and shovels lay scattered about the floor from where they were knocked over. She looks around the barn for a minute, trying to slow her pounding heart. Maybe she was just especially jumpy now.

She closes the doors to the barn and heads back to the house, defeated.

* * *

Melanie and Jame sit comfortably in front of a small checkerboard in the front room. The sky is dark with night, and the air is even cooler and crisper than before. The small fireplace at the head of the room is light, keeping the house warm and cozy. The TV is playing in the background, but there is no sound.

"Look Jame," Melanie says, lightly grabbing a hold of Jame's wrist, "if you move this piece here, you can jump two of my guys."

Jame follows with sharp eyes. Melanie was so impressed with how well he was able to catch on to games and things that required strategy and skill. It made her heart ache how similar he was to his father. So quick to learn, so intelligent.

Another crash from outside suddenly catches their attention. It was louder than last time, and it made the silence afterward so much more eerie.

"Mom?" Jame starts, fear in his voice.

"Everything's fine. Think about your next move, I'll be right back to go check. It was probably just that raccoon I saw in the barn the other day."

She gets up and walks briskly to the kitchen, turning on the porch light. She grabs her coat and the shotgun in the nearby closet and steps out onto the porch. The light from the porch shines out across the yard, barely reaching the edge of the cornfield. It casts shadows that move quickly in and out of focus. She scans the yard carefully, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

A sudden movement makes her start, and she yanks the gun up, ready to shoot.

The raccoon flies across the yard and disappears into the cornfield, causing a small ruckus.

"That damned raccoon!" she exclaims quietly to herself, exhaling loudly and letting the gun sag to her side.

"That reaction time was quite impressive if I do say so myself," a voice says to her left.

She whips around to see Loki, leaning against the house on the other end of the porch, arms crossed.

"I think the creature was lucky you didn't shoot." He smirks, his white teeth spread across his face.

It takes a moment for her to regain herself. She finds quickly that she is unable to speak, or even breathe for that matter. He almost looked the way she remembered him as, but there were subtle differences she could pick out quickly. First was the fact that he seemed to be two sizes smaller than the last time they had been together. His face was thinner, with sharper angles in his cheekbones. Not to mention the darkness that seemed to hang under his eyes. Second, was his hair. He had cut it shorter, and it was more clean and slick, the black tint of it shining in the light. He was still beautiful, of course. His eyes, still the sharp emerald that pierced through anything they touched.

"I think you should be more glad I didn't shoot you," she breathes out finally.

He stands up straight but keeps his arms crossed over his chest. She watches as his eyes slowly follow the length of her body and then back up. She can feel the heat spreading to her cheeks.

"Touche."

She holds the gun in both hands so it crosses over her chest. She grits her teeth.

"What do you want?"

He takes a step closer toward her and she grips the gun tighter. He notices it and stops.

"A simple hello would not suffice?"

She scoffs. "You're not the 'simple hello' type, so stop lying."

He nods, his smile fading, moving his arms so they are clasped in front of him. "And if I told you I just wanted to see you? It has felt like an eternity since we last spoke."

She breathes slowly, trying to fight back the urge to run over to him and throw her arms around him.

"Five years, to be exact."

His smile returns to his face. "So you've been keeping track?"

She frowns. "And you haven't? Now what do you really want? You don't have to play your stupid mind games with me. I know you're working for HYDRA."

"Ah yes, about that."

She lets the anger bubble inside of her. "I thought time would change you. I thought wrong."

"Oh Melanie, my dearest, why are you so quick to judge me?"

"Because," she snaps, "I have other, more important priorities I have to focus on, and I was, in fact, getting along quite well until you showed up."

"Really? And how well was your little dinner date going? Did that turn out for the better?" he replies, just as quickly.

It doesn't take long for all the pieces to come together.

She laughs with a slight edge. "Our waiter. _Clever._"

His face lights up with pride.

"I suppose I should thank you, for saving my life," she says irritably.

"You seem so very grateful I was there. I also believe you should thank me for such excellent service. I had to stoop low for that part. Service is not in my nature."

She suddenly gasps. "You ruined Steve's shirt!"

"It was an honest mistake-" he begins, but is quickly cut off.

"Oh bullshit, you're a god. You don't make mistakes like that. Jesus, you are _such _an _ass._"

"You are going to accuse me of being a donkey when I saved you from his bile of stupidity?" he retorts, offended.

She glares. "What he was going to say wasn't stupid. In fact, I was looking forward to it."

"Don't tell me you fancy the soldier?" he exclaims, feigning shock.

"I don't know, maybe I do. He was actually here to help me, while you weren't."

"Help you with what?"

She hesitates. Did he know? He notices her hesitation and slightly frowns.

"Is there something I'm missing?"

"No," she says quickly. "But I think it would be best if you left now. I have to call SHEILD and tell them you came, so I wouldn't come back here anymore."

He takes another step toward her but she holds up the gun so that the barrel presses into his stomach. He stops.

"Melanie."

"I said, go," she orders.

The squeak of the door catches both of their attention. Melanie turns to see Jame, holding open the door and peering out to watch them.

"Mommy who is that man?" he asks.

Melanie doesn't turn back to see Loki's reaction. She immediately drops the gun to her side and heads over to the door.

"Jame, honey, go back inside. He's an old friend, and we were just visiting. I'll be back inside in a minute, okay?"

He looks back and forth from Melanie to Loki before nodding his head and going back inside. She waits for a moment and then turns back to Loki who seems transfixed. All of his grace and cockiness he held moments ago seem to have faded away. Now he is the one who struggles for words.

"Stay away from me, and stay away from my son," she says coldly, as she opens the door and begins to head inside.

"Thirty-five years," he says lamely after her.

She stops and turns back. He looks at her, but his eyes seem lost.

"Thirty-five years in the Asgardian dungeons. I never missed a day."

She gives him a long look before closing the door and locking it behind her. The porch light turns off and the broken God of Mischief disappears.


	6. To Say Goodbye

1 Month Earlier

Thor walks swiftly down the stairs and to the dungeons. It's a long way down, with lots of twisting and complicated stair cases. The dungeons were the lowest level of Asgard, besides the weapons vault. It had been a long time since he had been down these steps. The last time he came was to deliver his brother, and now he was coming down to retrieve him. It had been thirty-five Asgardian years since he had last seen his brother. He knew that his welcome would not be friendly.

He pushes open the two heavy doors with both hands, his red cape flapping wildly behind him. He was king now, now that his father was too old and sickly. After Loki was thrown into the dungeons for good, Odin seemed to wither away so fast it was like he hadn't aged until this very point, and then it all collapsed. Thor was named King soon after and his father retired to his room, where the servants could care to him until he died.

The creatures in the dungeons hollered and mocked the King has he strode confidently by, but he paid them no attention. He was too focused, and too nervous.

The very last cell at the end of the dungeons was isolated by itself, and bigger than the rest. While the other cells were fully lighted and empty, this one was dark and had several pieces of furniture strewn about the floor. Some furniture sat perfectly on four legs, and others lay upside down or sideways. This was Loki's cell.

Thor steps right up to the glass, his hands gripping the handle of his hammer tightly.

"Loki, I have come to speak with you," he declares in a booming voice.

There's a long period of silence and then a low, sickly laugh emerges from the darkness.

"Loki, shed some light so I may see your face."

A groan in the darkness and then slowly, a small flicker at a time, the lights turn on. The cell is a mess, but he finds Loki quickly. He sits in the corner, a pile of books surrounding him, and a tipped over chair that he rests his head against. But it's not this that shocks Thor. It's his appearance. What once was his brother could not be seen in this man. His skin was so pale it was almost translucent, and his face had thinned so much that he could see every angle and bone in his cheeks. He had also grown out his facial hair, and it covered his face and chin, much like Thor's. His hair was very long, unkempt, and greasy, and his eyes were so sunken in his face that they looked like black pits instead of eyes.

"Oh brother, or should I say, '_My King_'," he mocks in a hoarse voice, "what graces me with your presence?"

Thor can't respond at first. His voice catches in his throat.

"Don't tell me you came all the way down here and lost your nerve to speak with me," Loki sneers, moving his head down while his eyes lock with Thor's.

Thor clears his throat. "As King, I have decided that your prison sentence has been fulfilled, and I have come to release you."

With that, Loki throws back his head and laughs. He laughs so hard his body, scrawny and bony, shakes brokenly.

"Oh, oh no, this is good. This is _very _good," he snorts between laughs.

"This is a serious matter, Loki. I am not playing."

He stops suddenly, sitting up, his green eyes black with fury. "How long have you been king? How long have you been king, Thor? And _now _you decide to let me out?"

Thor clenches his jaw and shifts his weight.

Loki stands, but he has trouble so he has to use the furniture around him to help. His body shakes with anger.

"No, no, I understand, you couldn't undo the order the former king put forth, but not even a visit? Not one damned visit?!" he yells, the tears forming under his eyes.

And then it's as if his sudden anger was too much, and he falls weakly to the ground, clutching a nearby chair. He gasps quietly, closing his eyes against the light. Thor turns off the shield surrounding the cell and walks inside, crouching next to his brother.

"I don't need your help," Loki spits as Thor lends a hand.

Thor sighs. "You need to come with me. We make for Alfheim as soon as you are ready."

Loki looks up at him in confusion. "Alfheim?"

Thor holds out handcuffs and Loki places his wrists inside with a roll of his eyes.

"Queen Freya wishes to speak with you," Thor answers, securing the restraints.

"Why?"

Thor glares at him, helping him stand. "She didn't specify."

They ride to Alfheim soon after, and are welcomed with bows and uneasy glances. Loki used to be fascinated with this realm. It's beauty was astounding. Their villages were built in a valley between two mountains and it's stone pathways and buildings lined the hills. It's peace and quietness used to always settle him, but now it only made him sick. The whole valley seemed to glow with the light from the elves. They were so pure, and fair, and holy, it seemed like his presence dimmed the light.

They arrive at the entrance of the castle, an open structure with a tall tower in the center. Queen Freya was expecting him at the top of the tower. He peered up and swallowed thickly.

"This way," a light elf gestured, his white robes falling gently over his shoulders and down to his toes.

Thor doesn't follow them as they make their way up into the tower. Loki looks back, but Thor is being led away by another elf.

The stairs spiral up, and are long. His weak body is struggling to continue up the steps and he notices the elf leading him slow down. He holds a lantern in front of him and there are no heavy breathes emerging from his mouth. Light elves had no flaws.

Loki feels as if he is about to collapse when they arrive at the top of the tower. It's small, and round, looking out over the valley. Queen Freya stands on the opposite side, her back facing them. Her long blonde hair flows gently behind her. A bowl with water in it sits in the middle.

"My Queen," the elf says, bows, and then leaves back down the steps, leaving Loki and the Queen alone.

"I see your days in the dungeons haven't treated you kindly," she comments softly, not turning around.

He leans against the wall, struggling to catch his breath.

"And you seem to have not aged a day," he retorts breathlessly.

She turns around at this comment, her glowing face filling with a beautiful smile.

"You flatter me. I have been waiting for you."

She notices his handcuffs and with a wave of her hand they fall to the ground. He rubs his sore wrists.

"Loki, you are a very powerful, very strong man, who is destined for greatness," she starts, her hands clasped in front of her.

"What is it that you desire from me?" he asks in an almost irritated tone.

Her smile slowly fades. "Darkness grows in the West. An alliance is being formed, one that could potentially destroy these nine realms for good."

"What sort of alliance?"

"Two of them you have dealt with. Both broken and seeking refuge. The Chitauri and the Dark Elves found safety with the fire demons. More have been gathering over time. Creatures believed to only exist in ancient times are reappearing. The beginning of the end is close at hand."

"So why do you call upon me?"

"Because I believe this is all going to revolve around one very unfortunate person."

Loki waits for her to finish.

"Do you remember the legend of the Titan's stone?"

"As in the story we were told as children?"

She nods. "It is not story. It is history. The stone was created by the titan king himself, and when his jealous brother couldn't have it, he killed the king and a great war broke out, brothers against brothers. At the end, the titan race was destroyed and the stone was split into two pieces and cast out into the universe. The first piece was found by Makelith himself, but after the great war with King Borr, it was taken from him and hid in the deepest layers of Asgard. The other half has been hidden for millions of year, but recently has been discovered."

Loki watches her for a moment. "You?"

She shakes her head. "No, and I'm glad it was not. That kind of power would be too tempting, even for me. I can not go anywhere near it."

"So then who?"

"It was found on Earth, by a young mortal boy who gave it to his sister as a gift, unaware of it's power."

His heart drops to his stomach. He feels sick, and he thinks he might hurl. This was all too much for him.

"Melanie, no," he mutters, bending over.

"It was shocking to me. You would think that sort of power would destroy her, but it didn't. It adapted to her, and it became apart of her. She has no idea what sort of power she possess."

He grips the ledge behind him to steady himself. At one time he would have cared about showing his feelings to others, but Freya already knew everything about him, and he was too weak to try and be clever.

"She is in grave danger, Loki. There are many creatures looking for that stone, luckily only you, Thor, and I know her identity, but as soon as her power is used again, they will be attracted to it, and they will find her."

"And what makes you think I can do anything for her? How can you trust that I won't just take the power for myself?"

"Well," she starts, her eyes sharp, "you have a decision to make then, don't you? Trust is not an issue for me. I know how each path you take will turn out. Everything is up to you now, I'm only here for extra guidance."

He stares at her for a long time. People used to fear her as some great White Witch of Alfheim that manipulated their fates. Loki was one of the only few that actually got to meet her. She had helped him understand visions he had had when he was younger, and now she was here, warning him of his eminent future.

He straightens. "What must I do?"

Freya smiles and spreads open her palms toward the bowl of water. "Listen to everything I have to say."

* * *

The black SUVS pull up to the house wildly, sliding to halt in several directions. Several SHEILD agents jump out with guns and begin swarming the area. Melanie holds Jame and his small backpack in her arms, watching their lights scatter about. Two dufflebags full of clothes and other things lay by her feet. They had to leave their home now. She had to leave her job, her sense of peace, everything. They were no longer safe in their small country home, and Jame was no longer safe with his mother.

Fury walks briskly up the steps, Steve following closely behind him.

"I'll get the bags," Steve says, bending over and collecting them with ease.

Fury stands one step below Melanie, but their eyes are level. He doesn't say anything at first, but he doesn't have to. She knows he's sorry they have to do this, but they have no choice.

After the perimeter is secured, Melanie and her son climb into an SUV and say goodbye to their small farmhouse forever. She doesn't know if they will destroy it. Maybe they will, or maybe it will just be left there to rot.

Jame stays securely wrapped in her arms and very quickly falls asleep, his head resting on her shoulder. Fury rides in the passenger sit in front of her, and Steve sits next to her, his hand locked around hers.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to separate you and your son until this all calms down. We do this only for your protection," Fury says as they fly down the lonely roads.

It's so dark outside, the headlights barely light the way in front of them. Melanie looks out the window, trying to hide the tears that form in her eyes.

"I'm very appreciative," she manages to mumble out, though she hardly seems grateful.

"I know this is hard, but you are our number one priority."

She scoffs at this but Fury doesn't seem to hear it, or he just choses to ignore it.

"In the morning you will drop your son off at Stark's place. Pepper will be tending to him for the time being."

"Tony and Pepper? You mean the most famous people in the world? In the biggest building in New York? You have got to be kidding me," she snaps.

Jame stirs and she quickly brushing his soft curls to calm him.

"Remember they aren't after your son, they're after you," Fury presses, but it's not reassuring.

"Well that's not what the psychopath at the restaurant said."

"Walker, we wouldn't be sending him somewhere where he wouldn't be safe."

"I don't know," she cuts in angrily, "I know SHEILD feelings toward Loki's son, so maybe the effort put in to keeping him safe isn't one-hundred percent."

Fury turns around. "We don't see him as Loki's son, we see him as yours, and we're going to try our damn near hardest to keep him safe, understand? As soon as you are away from your son that spotlight is going to follow you, not him. It won't matter where he is because all they want is you."

Melanie clamps her mouth shut, accepting defeat.

"Melanie, Director Fury knows what he's doing," Steve says, squeezing her hand gently.

"Yeah, sure he does," she says quietly, "and how do I know this isn't just some ploy to get me back in the field? Loki only came to my house to say hello, not to burn it down."

Fury smirks and turns back around. "If I really wanted you in the field, Walker, you'd already be there. Besides, your only use would be to lure in the enemy."

"Oh-" she starts, a new round of fury bubbling up inside her, but Steve cuts her off.

"Can we just stop arguing about this? We are all doing the best we can under the circumstances we're in. I'm sure we can all discuss this _calmly _in the morning."

Melanie huffs, and relaxes her tensed body. Jame snores quietly. She closes her eyes and rests her head against his. It's warm. The ride is silent.

* * *

Stark tower towers above Melanie as she stands with Jame by her side, his hand in hers. He carries a small backpack on his shoulders. The doors open and Tony meets them with a grand smile.

"How are my two favorite traitors?" he greets, ushering us into the building.

"Say hi to Uncle Tony," she says to Jame, bending down to his level. She shoots Tony a glare.

He looks up at him with uncertainty.

The elevator door opens quietly and they all step in.

"I hope this isn't too short notice," Melanie says to Tony.

"Everything with SHEILD is short notice. Don't worry, I'm used to it. Actually, Pepper was absolutely thrilled when I told her. She's always had a thing with children -don't tell her this- but I'm not really looking forward to the whole 'family' thing yet. I just don't feel qualified, you know?"

She smiles. "Well he will be good practice then. And don't worry, he's an angel. Maybe you can show him some of your stuff? He loves building things so I'm sure he'd be thrilled to look at some of your _safer_ gadgets."

Tony laughs. "Of course, of course. He needs to know what real men do with their spare time."

The doors open and Pepper happily greets them.

"Oh Melanie!" she cries, going in for a hug. "And this must be little Jame."

She bends down.

"This is Aunt Pepper," Melanie says.

"Hi, you've gotten big since I last saw you," she coos, ruffling his hair. He frowns a little bit.

Melanie swallows, the pain of losing him suddenly hitting her. She crouches down to his level and pulls him aside.

"Jame, Mommy is going to go away for a while and you're going to stay with Aunt Pepper and Uncle Tony, ok?"

He looks at her in confusion. "Are you going away like daddy?"

She shakes her head. "No, no of course not. I would never leave you. I just have to go take care of some things so that bad people will leave. Ok? I love you very, very much, and if you get scared you can just call me, alright? Aunt Pepper has my phone number and I'm just a call away."

She kisses the top of his head and then pulls him into a hug.

"I love you mommy."

"I love you too, sweetie," she murmurs into his hair.

She holds him for a long time, never wanting to let him go. She would visit him soon, but not for a while. He was safe here. He was safe away from her.

She pulls back and swiftly wipes away a stray tear. Pepper gently holds his hand and pulls him back into the recess of the flat. Melanie and Tony get back on the elevator. Jame looks back until the doors shut and they can see each other no more.

"He'll be alright, you know. We're going to take very good care of him," Tony assures.

She straightens her jacket. "It's not his fault who is father is. I'm glad someone can see that, so I'll forever be in your debt. And it is also for that reason that I have to leave him, because until I can get rid of this power, danger is going to follow me, and there's only one person I know who might have the smallest idea of how to get rid of it."

"Fury won't support this."

"He doesn't have to. Loki will know how to get it out of me."

"And what if he takes this power? He could become very powerful."

The elevator dings and the doors open. Melanie turns to Tony and looks him square in the eye.

"If so, then we'll kill him."

She walks out and into the street, disappearing into the crowd.

**_Please review! I would very much appreciate feedback to make this story better! _**


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